San Diego Family Sues Roblox, Meta Over Alleged Child Grooming

Complaint alleges predators used platforms to exploit 11-year-old, as tech companies face mounting legal pressure over child safety.

Apr. 17, 2026 at 7:06pm

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A San Diego family has filed a lawsuit against Roblox and Meta, alleging that adult predators used the Roblox platform to groom their then-11-year-old daughter and then moved the exploitation to Instagram, where they coerced sexually explicit video chats. The complaint, which is being investigated by the FBI's cybercrime division, accuses the tech companies of failing to prevent predators from using their services to harm children.

Why it matters

This case is part of a growing national push to hold interactive platforms accountable for child safety on their services. Dozens of similar federal lawsuits have been filed against Roblox, while state-level actions like a recent settlement in Nevada add to the pressure on tech companies to improve protections for young users.

The details

According to the lawsuit filed in San Diego Superior Court, two adult predators posed as children on Roblox, offered the 11-year-old girl money for explicit chats, and gave her instructions on how to behave in the videos. The family says the predators then shifted the exploitation to Instagram, where they recorded sexually explicit interactions. The girl's mother discovered the Instagram videos in August 2025 and reported the incident to the authorities.

  • The alleged grooming began on the Roblox platform.
  • The exploitation then moved to Instagram in August 2025.
  • The family filed the lawsuit in San Diego Superior Court on Monday.

The players

Roblox

An online gaming platform and game creation system that allows users to program games and play games created by other users.

Meta

The parent company of social media platforms including Facebook and Instagram.

The 11-year-old girl

The victim at the center of the alleged grooming and exploitation scheme.

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What they’re saying

“That trust was broken. We are speaking out so other families don't have to experience the same harm.”

— The girl's mother

What’s next

The FBI's cybercrime division is investigating the incident, and the case is still in the early stages in San Diego Superior Court. The family is seeking to hold Roblox and Meta accountable for what they describe as foreseeable harm.

The takeaway

This lawsuit highlights the ongoing challenges of protecting children from predators on online platforms, and the growing legal pressure on tech companies to improve their safety measures and response times to user reports of exploitation.